ALLENDALE – Brandon Carr would have been considered a longshot when it came to a National Football League future after arriving on Grand Valley State University’s campus his freshman season in 2004.

Carr, a Flint native, returned to his alma mater Friday afternoon, and he had a message to the approximately 250 children who were participating in the first annual Grand Valley State University Youth Camp, presented by Amway:

Dreams do come true.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr talks during Grand Valley State University Football Alumni Youth Camp at the school in Allendale Township Friday, June 21, 2013. Cory Morse | MLive.com

Carr will soon begin his sixth season in the NFL and second year with the Dallas Cowboys.

“I was a fifth round, late round pick, a Division II guy, and you aren’t expected to make it,” said Carr, a 6-foot, 210-pound cornerback. “But I just kept my head down, stayed humble and kept grinding. I’m here now, heading into year six, and I’m still representing Grand Valley State.

“Division II is a long road to get to the NFL, but you don’t take as many things for granted. Every opportunity you get here, to prove that you belong in the NFL, you have to take advantage of it.”

Carr was one of five former Grand Valley players invited back to help work with children in Friday’s camp. He was joined by linebacker Dan Skuta of the San Francisco 49ers, guard Nick McDonald of the New England Patriots and former Grand Rapids Creston standout Cam Bradfield, who is a tackle with Jacksonville. Josh Bourke was unable to attend Friday’s camp because he has a game this weekend with the Montreal Alouettes.

Carr was drafted by Kansas City in 2008, and he spent his first four years with the Chiefs. Carr then signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Cowboys in March of 2012.

“Growing up, that is a team that I always idolized playing for and playing with,” Carr said. “To work so hard in the NFL and finally get another chance to sign a free agent contract with a team you dreamed about playing for is a dream come true. It is a blessing.

“It’s a rollercoaster playing for America’s Team. You don’t know what to expect until you get inside those walls. The media frenzy is pretty much every day. The spotlight that is put upon us, each and every day, indoors and outside of football, but you know, it has been a blessing so far. I can’t complain about it at all. I worked hard to get to this high platform at this stage of my career. It is an absolute blessing to play for the Cowboys and represent their star.”

Skuta, 26, from Burton, will be joining the 49ers this year after spending the past four seasons with Cincinnati. While he said it wasn’t easy leaving the Bengals, he added that he is excited for the opportunity to play for San Francisco, which came so close to winning last season’s Super Bowl.

“I’m hoping that maybe I can be some of the difference to get us back there or to maybe win it this year,” said Skuta, 6-2, 250. “That’s what free agency is about and that’s what football is about, and I’m excited to make the move.

“I was extremely excited that (San Francisco) had any interest in me. In free agency, it is more about them coming to you sort of thing. I played my four years and hoped at the end that there would be some people who still wanted me around. I was fortunate that they were a team that really wanted me.”

Bradfield, a 6-4, 308, has been busy with camps this week because he also helped out with Jared Veldheer’s camp at Forest Hills Northern Wednesday night. Bradfield said he was disappointed to hear that Creston has closed.

“It is still sad to hear,” Bradfield said. “As much pride and tradition I took in graduating from Creston High School is definitely sad to hear. There are a lot of great athletes who have come out of Creston. Grand Rapids Public Schools are having a hard time, so they had to do what they had to do. But I still take pride in being a Polar Bear.”

McDonald, a 6-4, 305 guard from Detroit, had no comment regarding teammate Aaron Hernandez, who is under investigation for the death of semipro football player Odin Lloyd.

However, McDonald did have plenty to say about the death of Cullen Finnerty, who quarterbacked the Lakers to three Division II national championships. Finnerty died near Baldwin on Memorial Day Weekend.

“I was friends with him, I played with him for two years, I was at his funeral,” McDonald said. “He worked hard, he was a great person, a good father, a good husband. It is a terrible situation. It is a tragedy. It is a big punch in the stomach for Grand Valley and we feel bad for his family.”